Telephone-switchboard operating and signaling device and system.



H. S. TURNER. TELEPHONE'SWITCHBOARD OPERATING AND SIGNALING DEVICE ANDSYSTEM.

APPLICATION FIL ED NJ" 23- l9l'l- 1,176,488. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

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H. S. TURNER.

TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARD OPERATING AND SIGNALING DEVICE AND SYSTEM.

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1,175,488. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

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FIE-8- 19W (zoom: 8 vew roz of g/w x Jim HUBERT SYDNEY TURNER, OF SANDIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

TELEPHONE-SWITCHBOABD OPERATING AND SIGNALING DEVICE AND SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

Application filed June 23, 1911. Serial No. 634,893.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. HUBERT SYDNEY TURNER. a naturalized citizen of theUnited States of America residing at San Die o, in the county of SanDiego and State of California. ha e invented a new and usefulTelephone-Switchboard Operating and Signaling Device and System, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invent on relates toapparatns for and the operat on of telephoneswitchboard signaling s stems, and in olves a special form of iack-plugprovided with insulated contact plates and means fo breaking the circuitof the ordinary flexible connecting wires of the plug without distu b'ngthe electrical contacting connections of the plug and the jack withwhich the plug is en gaged; contact devices carried on the hand of thetelephone switchboard o erator, adapted to contact with the insulatedplates of the plug when said plug is properly grasped and included incircuit with the operators transmitter and receiver; a signal devicehaving s ecial featu es of construction and operation also included incircuit with the operators hand carried contacts ada ted toautomaticallv give a clear signal to the telephone user connected up bythe plug inserted in the jack at the in tant the operator completesconnection and during the time of communication with such sub scriber oruser; and push buttons or keys conveniently located to be contmlled bythe feet. or other a ailable part of the operatora body, for cutting inon the line, represented by the jack in which the plug may be inserted,a ringing or calling device to operate only on the line represented byone of the two jack-plugs attached to any wires which may be used forinterconnecting the various telephone stations.

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an improved jack plug. Fig.2 is a transverse section of the same. taken on the line 2. '2, Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a side view of the jackplug. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlargedviews of a contact device adapted to be carried on the hand of atelephone switchboard operator, showing respectively a plan view of thedevice with its cover removed, a vertical section and a plan viewshowing the cover at- .tached. Fig. 7 illustrates two contact devicesattached to a holding means by which they may be securely fastened tothe hand of an operator. Fig. 8 illustrates a signaling apparatusadapted to be connected to a subscribers circuit by the hand carriedcontacts of the operator, and: Fig. 9'illustrates the various parts ordevices of this telephone switchboard operating and signaling apparatusand system, showing an arrangement of the wire connections.

The improved jack-plug has a two part metallic casing A and B separatelyfastened to a central insulating block C by the hush caps Q, and N ofthe screws Q and N'. The section A is permanently electrically connectedto the iack contact H of the plug by the central rod G block E and screwM; and the section B is permanentl electrically connected to the otherjack contact 0 of the plug by the sleeve D and screw P. The contacts Hand O and their metallic co nections with the insulated sections A and Bare. of course, thoroughly insulated. The usual connecting wires 1 and 2of the plug pass through a split cap R fitted by a groove formed thereinover the ends of the sections A and B. and serving to clamp the wires 1and 2 between corrugated faces of the cap, when the sections arefastened in position by their screws Q, and N. The connecting wire 1goes to the screw N and is in communication with the outer contact 0 ofthe plug;

the other connecting wire 2 passes to a screw' L which passes throughthe insulating block C a d holds one end of a s ring K a ainst saidblock. the other end of the spring being in contact with a conicalpointed slee e F fitted to slide on the rod G, and pressed to ward thespring K b a spiral spring J placed in its interior. Electricalconnection is thus made between wire 2 and iack contact H of the plugand permits breaking the connection of the circuit of the plug wireswith the jack contacts of the plug without dis- 1 turbing the electricalconnections of the insulated sections A and B with the contacts II a dO. This is accomplished through the medium of ring I of insulating mterial fitted to slide on the sections A and It and connected to thesleeve F by screws T, T which pass through the ring I into the ends ofstuds S. S extending outwardl from the sleeve F between the edges of thesections A and B, as shown at Fig. 2. said edges being cut away (Fig. 3)to insure non-contact of the studs with the sections A and B.

The ring I when slid toward the end of the plug carrying the superficialjack contacts, mo es the sleeve F away from'soring K and so breaks thecircuit of one of the plug connecting wires.

Another feature of the invention comprises devices to be worn preferablyon the thumb and a finger of the operator. These contacts are fastenedto strips extending from a wrist band Z of suitable material, by whichthey may hands of the operator, or they may be carried on a completeglove. The thumb contact consists of contact points V, V electricallyjoined to the connecting screws W, W to which are attached wiresextending to the wrist band, a spring U normally out of contact with thepoints V, V but caused to connect said points when de ressed by thepressure plug Y that exten s through the top plate .X' of a hollowcasing or box of insulating material containing the spring and itsco-acting arts. Screws, Fig. (3, hol the top plate X in position andalso hold a supplemental base X. between which and the base of the boxmay be clamped an elastic band or finger stall X, adapted to securelyhold the contact device on the thumb or finger. The other contact deviceconsists of a fine and flexible wire Z suitably secured to a fingerstall Z connected to the wrist band Z.

Another feature cooperating with those described consists of a signalingdevice, Fig. 8, comprising two electro-magnets a and I) having corresonding ends of their windin s connecte by wire 15, and the other en sextended respectively to the posts 9' and g which by lines 3, 4 (Figs. 9and 10) connect with one of the points V or V of the respective thumbcontacts. The other ones of said points V or V are connected to line 7,Fig. 9. A hell 0 is arranged to be struck by hammers carried on the endsof the spring armature levers a and b of the magnets a and b whichlevers are connected by line 16. An electroma netic vibratin device hasits magnet 6 inc uded in a loca circuit including a battery 13, thevibrator armature lever 18, contact point (1' or d, armature levers a or6, line 16, line 17 and posts It and It. There is a telephonetransmitter t included-in a line extending from line 15 to post i. Thearmature lever 18 is delicate in its operation and carries a hammer 20of rubber or other sound deadening material, and by the contact screw fis so adjusted that the sound effect produced on the bell c is ametallic murmur and note ring. All of these devices are contained in abox 7' of suitable resonant material.

When a plug of the character shown, attached to one end of a cord whichis connected at'theother end to the answering ack of-a subscribers line,is grasped by the be properly held on the hand contacts of the operator,the contact Y depresses the spring U and a local circuit is completedcomprising contact point V, screw \V, conductor 7, primary of inductioncoil 12., battery 8, operators transmitfier 0, binding post i of signaldevice j, transmitter t. magnet a or b, binding post g org", conductor 3or 4 (according to which hand the operator has used), screw \V contactpoint V and spring U. Magnet a or b is energized and by armature a or bimparts a single stroke on hell 0, the vibrations of which set up in thetransmitter 13 a pulsatory current and thus, by causing variations inresistance of the circuit, alternating currents are set up in thesecondary of induction coil 11 which, by conductor 9, push button Z or Zconductor 11 or 12, to other hand contact Z that is in contact with oneof the plates A or B of the plug, the other plate being in contact withcontact Y. Another circuit 15 thus completed including a subscribersreceiver through the conducting cord of the plug, the jack to one sideof the subscribers line, the other side of subsci'ibers line, the otherline contact in the answering jack and plug, the other talking strand inconducting cord, spring U of the hand contact and conductor 7 to theother end of the secondary coil. By this means a single tone, similar tothat produced by the bell c, is heard by the calling subscriber as soonas the operator has answered the call by insertin a plug in thesubscribers answering jact and graspin the specially designedcord-connected pug. This signal notifies the calling subscriber that heis in communication with the operator and may without delay make hisrequirements known without special request by the operator since theoperators receiver 7) is bridged across the line 7 and 9 and is incircuit with the secondary of the induction coil 11. Now with the plugsproperly placed for conversation between two subscribers, privacy isfully assured for should the operator or any one at central attempt tolisten in (which can only be done by the plates of an active plug beinggrasped by the hand contacts) the subscribers will be made aware of thisby a murmur or sound of special character sent through the line, becausesuch act on the part of the operator energizes one of the magnets a orb, as before described, and a continuous current through either of themwill close a local circuit, by armature a or b' being held in contactwith point (1' or (1, including the magnet 0 post h, battery 13, postit, conductor 17, armature and point in contact, wire 19, contact point7, make and break spring actuated armature lever 18 and wire connectinglever post to the magnet. The muflled hammer 20 of lever 18 by rapidvibrations produces the distinctive murmur sounds before described.

Ill

The means for electrically cutting in on a line (represented by the ackin which a plug is inserted) whereby a signaling or other ringing deviceis, Fig. 9, of ordinary construction adapted to sound the subscribcrstelephone call bell on the line included in the operatin circuit by oneof the two jack-plugs at-tac led to conducting cordsfor interconnectingtelephone stations, comprises push buttons l and l, or similar connecting devices, adapted to be operated by the feet or other availableparts of the operators body. A suitable arrangement is as shown. Thenormal contacts of these push buttons are joined together by wire 9, andthe o crating contacts by the wire 10 connected to a terminal of thesignaling device A: whose other terminal connects with line 7. Theoperators receiver 77 is included in a circuit between lines 9 and 7 asis also the secondary of the induction coil n. The push buttons orcontact devices Z, Z", are by the wires 11 and 12 connected to contactsZ of the right and left hand contact operating devices m and m. The wireplan, in general, of this telephone switchboard operating and signalingsystem is shown at Fig. 9.

From the foregoin it will be seen that either the right or leit hand orboth hands, and the right or left foot or both feet, of the operator maybe used in the manipulation of the apparatus of the system; so adescription of the functions of one of the hand contact devices, the onemarked m for instance in conjunction with the other devices describedwill answer for both.

When a lug is grasped by the operator and inserted in the gack and theslidin rin I of the lug-pressed forward the ca 1 be of the calledsubscriber will be actuated by the ringing device Iton depression of thekey Z, the circuit then being from the contact late of the plug touchedby the hand contact A, line 11, line 10, to As, from 7.: by lines 7 and5 to the contact point Y which closes circuit with the other contactplate of the plug. The ringing current is prevented from entering thecalling subscribers line by manipulating of the sliding ring I. Now whenthe o erator releases key 1' the circuit then inclu es contact Z, line9, operators receiver 72, line 7, primary of the induction coil n,battery 8, operators transmitter 0, line 14, post 2', of the signalingdevice 7', line 2 transmitter t, line 15, magnet a post g, and line 3 tohand contact Y, and also the secondary of the induction coil n by lines9 and 7 to contact Y. The operator may, by manipulating the sliding ringI of a plug, break the circuit of the connectin wire of said plugwithout interfering witi the plug connections to the jack, enabling theoperator to signal, etc., over the subscribers line represented only bythe jack in which the manipulated plug .is inserted.

The circuit including the apparatus of the device j, the operatorstransmitter 0, battery 8 and primary of the induction coil '11 isnormally broken at the points V, V of the hand contact, and the variousdevices in this circuit are brought into action only by the contact plugY being depressed to cause the spring U to contact with the points V, V.

I claim:

1. In a telephone signaling apparatus, hand borne contacts, anautomatical y operating pulsatory current signaling device, comprisin anelectro-magnet, a gong actuated there y, a source of electricity and acircuit closer included in a local circuit, a telephone transmitter andan elcctro-magnct adapted to actuate said circuit closer, saidtransmitter and the circuit closing electromagnet being permanentlyincluded in a circuit with the hand borne contacts and the primary of aninduction coil and a jack plug provided with insulated plate contacts onthe hand grasping portion thereof independent of but connected to thejack contacts of the plug, whereby a calling subscriber is, by theaction of the signaling device, notified that he has the centraloperators attention and may immediately communicate with him as soon asthe operator rasps the subscribers plug with the hand borne contacts.

2. In a telephone signaling apiaratus, hand borne contacts, anautomatically operating signaling device comprising a telephonetransmitter, an electro-magnet adapted by its armature to sound a gong,a source of e ectricity and the primary of an induction coil permanentlyincluded in an electric circuit with said contacts and a jack plugprovided with insulated plate contacts on the hand grasping portionthereof independent of but connected to the jack contacts of the plug,whereby the hand contacts circuit is, by the hand contacts and the platecontacts of the plug, connected up to the jack circuit to which the plugis connected, whereby the calling subscriber is immediately, by theaction of the signaling device, notified that he has the centraloperators attention and may communicate with him.

3. In a telephone signaling apparatus, hand borne contacts anautomatically operating signaling device included in an electric circuitwith said contacts and a jack plug provided with insulated platecontacts independent of, but connected to the jack contacts of the plugand means on the jack plug adapted to be manipulated by the operatorshand for breakin the circuit of one of the plug connecting wires withoutdisturbing the connections of the plug jack contacts, whereby theoperators circuit may be included in circuit with one only of twotalking subscribers.

4. In a telephone signaling apparatus,

hand borne contacts, an automatically operating signaling devicecomprising a transmitter, the operators transmitter and receiverpermanently included in electric circuits with said contacts and a jackplug provided with insulated plate contacts independent of but connectedto the jack contacts of the plug and means on the jack plug adapted tobe manipulated by the operators hand for breaking the circuit of one ofthe plug connecting wires without disturbing the connections of the plugjack contacts.

5. In a telephone signaling apparatus, hand borne contacts, circuitlines extending therefrom, one of which is normally open, means forclosing this circuit, a signaling device included in an electric circuitwith said contacts and a jack plug provided with insulated platecontacts lndependent of but connected to the jack contacts of the plug,whereby when a plug is grasped by the hand to brin the hand contacts andthe plate contacts o the plug together the normally open hand contactclosing means is actuated and theflhand contact circuit is connected upwith the jack circuit to which the plug is connected.

6. In a telephone signaling apparatus, hand borne contacts, circuitlines connected therewith, one of which is normally open, means forclcsing this circuit carried by the hand, a push button or switchadapted to be operated by the operators foot or other available part ofthe body, a subscribers signaling or calling device included in the handcontacts circuit when the push button or switch is operated and a jackplug pro vided with insulated plate contacts independent of butconnected with the jack contacts of the plug, whereby when a plug isgrasped by the hand to bring the hand contacts and the plate contacts ofthe plug copies at this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, byaddressing the Washington, I). 0."

together the normally open hand contact closing means is actuated andthe hand contact circuit is connected up with the jack circuit to whichthe plug is connected.

7. In a telephone signalingapparatus, hand borne contacts, anautomatically operating signaling device, the operators transmitter andreceiver, an electric battery and the primary of an induction coilpermanently included in a branch of the circuit to one of the handcontacts, the secondary of the induction coll included inabranch of thecircuit to the other hand contact and a jack plug provided withinsulated plate contacts independent of but connected to the jackcontacts of the plug, whereby the hand contacts circuit is, by the handcontacts and the plate contacts of the plug, connected up with the jackcircuit to which the plug is connected.

8. In a telephone signaling apparatus, hand borne contacts, anautomatically operating signaling device permanently included in anelectric circuit with said contacts, said si 'naling device including abell, a signal giving magnet, a vibrator adapted to'prcduce' a subduedbuzzing sound in circuit with a local battery and a circuit closeractuated by the signal giving magnet, and a jack lug provided withinsulated plate contacts independent of but connectec to the jackcontacts of the plug, whereby the hand contacts circuit is, by the handcontacts and the plate contacts of the plug, connected up with the jackcircuit to which the plug is connected.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

HUBERT SYDNEY TURNER.

Witnesses:

S. A. STORY, L. F. Bnownmo.

"Commissioner of Patents,

